This month I'm covering The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. I chose this book because it’s always referenced in feminist writings on history, culture and progress and I figured I should go to the source.

Although it was written in 1963, it’s incredibly relevant today. I thought reading this book it was going to be more of a period piece but it’s made me reflect so much on feminism today, it’s scary.

Here’s my review in 4 takeaways:

Takeaway #1 - This book is mandatory reading for all feminists and/or living humans

Takeaway #2 - We have progressed in so many ways but one

But there’s one, category (if we want to call it that?) that we’re still systematically held back on and have made little to no progress and that is… childcare. Women are still considered the primary caregiver. And it was depressing to read the excuses, reasoning, and rationale that was used back then, is used today.

It made me reflect, uncomfortably so, on how traditional my marriage and family decisions have been. Because of that my career ambitions have suffered and I make significantly less money than my partner, which feeds into the cycle of us prioritizing his career over mine.

Takeaway #3 - It’s a long hard fight

Seeing that this was in 1963 makes me realize that this fight is going to be a long one. We’re 51% of the population so to get on the same page about feminist issues is tough, shit, Trump got elected for god’s sake. And speaking of god, with Christian ideologies like complementarianism (first time I heard of this was on Gimlet’s Start Up show, the Church Planting Season, Episode “The Woman At The Pulpit”) we’re going in the opposite direction, think: Handmaids Tale.

Takeaway #4 - Intersectionality

One of the stickiest points is the lack of white women including and considering women of all races, and backgrounds. I recently watched a documentary called “White Like Me.” Where a white woman was talking to a black woman, and said “well, we’re both women” and the black woman responded with “no, when you look in the mirror you’re a woman, when I look in the mirror, I’m a black woman.” There it is. We have, I have, a lot of work to do, I’m trying my best. So no longer can nor should the conversation be a bunch of white women strategizing about what’s best for women. Because white women don’t have all the answers for all women everywhere. But I’m hopeful for the future of feminism and the progress we’re making, even if it does feel like we’re stepping back in time - I’m looking at you Alabama.